Here's My Shoulder
by bladewielder05
Summary: Autumn is the beginning of the tragedy. Winter is the harshest of all. Spring is supposed to symbolize the rebirth. And Summer is ironically the happiest for all. Unfortunately for four pairs of siblings sorrow constantly hangs over them, cycling like the seasons themselves. At least they are fortunate enough to have a place to cry on. For Writer of Worlds's The Feels Hurt Contest.


**Hello, guys! Here's my entry to Writer of Worlds's The Feels Hurt Contest! Man! I slaved over this one for so long, especially the first portion...I was going to name it "Four Seasons, Four Loves", but I decided to go with "Here's My Shoulder" instead. Supposed to foreshadow a lot of crying, hopefully from you dear readers XD Anyways, this is also my first story with...Corrin and Corrin! Yay! Go Super Smash Bros Special Broadcast! That thing was AWESOME! HYPE, HYPE! I AM SO READY FOR THE NEW DLCS TO COME! YEAH! But it really is a pity that the first story they appear from me is a sad one...oh well! That's what I do best...**

 **Anyways, hope you guys enjoy...the feels...**

 **Note: M!Corrin is Carrigan, Dark Pit is Nadir, F!WiiFitTrainer is Willa, M!WiiFitTrainer is William, and F!Robin is Roseclere.**

* * *

Here's My Shoulder

 _Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet._

 _Harvest:_

Carrigan didn't know. He never knew what his sister was going through until one of his employees finally told him. When he found out, he was indignant that such a thing could happen. And he was at a lost on why Corrin wouldn't tell him a damn thing about it. They were siblings, and they've always shared with each other their secrets, no matter how embarrassing or drastic. They could always count on the other to understand and help fix their conflicts. They always had each other's back. Why wouldn't they? They've been through thick and thin, and thin and thinner. There was no reason for them to start hiding secrets now.

The man had to confront his sister soon. He didn't want to this to drag on any longer than it should. He knew how detrimental the effects could be on the human mind, and there was no way in hell he would let his sister do what many others foolishly did to escape their pain. They may think that would have helped them, but in truth, it only served to hurt the ones that loved and cared for them. Carrigan couldn't, _wouldn't_ , let that happen to Corrin.

He wasted no time. Once the meeting ended, he waited until only he and his sister were left in the room. He locked his eyes on her as he continued to sit his chair. The young man noticed how his sister avoided eye contact with him, as if she already knew that the storm was coming to whirl her away. Realization dawned on him that most of the time she rarely initiated any conversation; he always had to start something in order to get her to participate. Was her problem the reason why she seemed so hesitant and fearful all the time? When Corrin clicked her case shut, Carrigan made his move, "Corrin, why didn't you tell me?"

"What?" the younger woman asked, the confusion on her face as she looked towards her brotheer. Yet Carrigan could see the slightest light of guilt and fear in his sister's eyes. He narrowed his own eyes at those two emotions. So she did have an inkling of an idea what he was talking about. However, he wanted to make himself clear in order to resolve the situation at hand:

"The harassing, Corrin. Why didn't you tell me? Why were you keeping it from me?"

At the words, the young woman's eyes immediately slid away, "I…I don't know what you're talking about, Carrigan…"

"Don't lie to me! You're better than that!" the sudden rise in volume made the younger sibling flinch. Carrigan's heavy steps quickly brought him before his sister. He grabbed her shoulders, his heart dropping as she flinched again. Yet his sister's action didn't calm him, every fiber of his body emitting fury and pain. Fearful orbs met hurtful ones as Corrin finally looked up to her brother's gaze. If Carrigan's shout didn't get to her, then the furious light in his eyes was more than enough to make Corrin want to bolt out of there and leave the room. She couldn't stand it. It was a familiar look that discouraged her from pursuing things any further. It was a look she didn't want to see on her brother's face. It was a look that reminded her how pathetic she really was. It was a look that told her that perhaps she should have consulted her brother when the problem first arose. However she knew that that simply wasn't an option, not if she wanted their business to stay afloat. Her brother had worked far too long for them to reach the state they're currently, and she didn't want his hard work to crash because she wasn't strong enough to handle things on her own.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Corrin muttered again, though she knew deep down her brother wouldn't accept that. Both of them knew that she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"Again with that lie! We both know that's a load of bullshit, Corrin! Why don't you just spit out the truth already?!" Carrigan tightened his hold on her shoulders. Corrin immediately let out a whimper from the pain of her brother's grip. At the contortion of her face, her brother quickly loosened his hold. Anxiety suddenly appeared though the anger was still clear in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he apologized immediately.

"It's all right," Corrin replied automatically. Almost robotically. It tore Carrigan's heart to hear her like this. It sounded as if the thread of her life barely hung on. He couldn't stand to hear her like this. He had to help her. Her situation couldn't continue, not if Carrigan loved her.

"Please, Corrin…stop lying. I have to know," he whispered. He stared right into her eyes, pleading with her, begging to stop. Corrin gazed back with her own sorrowful eyes before looking away. She shut them tightly, squeezing out tears that had threatened to fall every day. Immediately she felt herself being pulled into an embrace. The familiar feeling of her brother's warm arms surrounded her, and, strangely, served to only make her sob louder. It reminded her how her brother never failed to protect her when they were younger. He was always there for her whenever she needed him. And she hated it. How she hated the feeling of always needing her brother near her. Corrin didn't want to have her brother shoulder the burden alone. She wanted to be of some help. And yet…she couldn't even deal with this problem herself.

That burned her, hardened her, and made her push Carrigan away. Surprise flashed through Carrigan's mind as he released his embrace on his sister. He stared in shock at the furious look that so mirrored his own in Corrin's eyes. The change was so sudden that it almost seemed as if a different person now stood in front of him.

"I can't tell you."

"What? Why not?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"What do you mean?"

"You just wouldn't understand!" Corrin screamed, clutching her head. Her brother took a step back in surprise at her sudden outburst. Then his own anger flared, making him step forward to confront his sister once again.

"Then help me understand! Help me understand what's wrong!"

"Like I said, I can't tell you! Even if I did, you still wouldn't understand!"

"You don't know that! You won't know unless you try! I'm worried, Corrin! I'm worried about you! Why won't you just let me help you?!"

The two siblings were at a stalemate once again when Corrin refused to answer. Though Corrin attempted to put up a strong front, Carrigan knew better. He could see how she was faltering, how she was shattering on the inside. Tears were gathering at the corners of her rapidly-blinking eyes. Yet he couldn't understand why she still wouldn't tell him or ask for help. Was it true what she said? That he wouldn't understand what she was going through? How could he, when she wouldn't tell him anything? How long had she been holding this in? Carrigan opened his mouth to implore his sister once again to tell him when a sound interrupted their fight. Two pairs of eyes instantly went to Carrigan's pocket where his phone sounded a caller.

"You should answer that…" Corrin muttered as the phone continued to ring. Carrigan hesitated before reaching into his pocket for his phone. The screen displayed a familiar name, _Robin_. Yet he continued to hesitate. Seeing it brought some relief to the older brother but, at the same time, anxiety. He knew why Robin was calling. It was for the meeting Carrigan was going to have with Robin's sister very soon to discuss about some business. This was a great opportunity that shouldn't be missed as the CEO was extremely busy, her schedule opening only for a selective few. The young man's mind whirled at the decision he had to make. His sister stared at him with slight confusion in her eyes, "It's Robin, isn't it? About the deal? You better pick it up before it's too late." Carrigan recognized the hurtful tone in his sister's voice. That was what decided his final choice.

Corrin's eyes widened when she saw Carrigan push a few buttons before shoving the phone back into his pocket. The older sibling gave his sister a rueful smile as she moved her mouth without any words. "C-Carrigan…why?"

"My sister's more important right now than some corporate deal," Carrigan declared. At those words, the tears finally sprung from Corrin's eyes and they wouldn't stop. A sob broke from her lips as she covered her mouth in a futile effort to stop it. Again she felt that familiar warmth wrapping around her, protecting her. This time, she didn't push him away. Instead she returned her brother's hug as she continued to cry. Corrin couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that her brother had just thrown away what would have changed the face of their business for her. It endeared her, yet it also saddened her. Was she really so important that her brother would do that for her? She wished it was true but she knew that wasn't the case.

"Stupid, stupid Carrigan…why are you so stupid? You shouldn't have done that. Stupid, stupid…" Corrin sobbed into his suit. Her brother simply held her as she continued to cry. Though he still didn't know why she wouldn't tell him, even if she still refused to tell him, he knew that they'd get through it. They just had to. And he wouldn't give up until they overcome this.

 _Frost:_

Nadir scowled to himself as he entered the seedy bar. The smell of rotting bodies and comforting beer hit him like a blast of wind. Yet the atmosphere inside was strangely more welcoming than the howling weather outside. When the occupants turned to glare at the offender who was carelessly leaving the door open to the cold wind, Nadir only glowered back in response. There was something in his irritated, red eyes that warned the other men that it wasn't a currently good idea to annoy the guy. They turned back to their drinks, opting to silently cuss him to satisfy their vengeance. The black angel ignored the men and searched the place for some sign of his idiotic, big brother. Much to his dismay, he couldn't find him at all. For the millionth time that day, he cursed Pit's fragile emotions.

Nadir went back outside, slamming the door shut for the begrudgingly grateful drinkers. The moment he stepped onto the freezing streets, the wind pecked him with ice-cold needles. The black angel pulled his scarf tighter and folded his wings closer to his body. If Pit wasn't at the bar to drown his sorrows in beer, then Nadir was at a lost. He had no idea, no clue where his older brother might have gone. He shoved past the crowds without a care of anybody bad-mouthing him at the moment. He ignored the flashing lights of stores attempting to draw in customers for some Christmas shopping. Nadir had more important things to deal with, like a crybaby of an older brother. He circled the streets multiple times in a futile hope that his brother might be mindlessly wandering the city. No such miracle came forth.

"Hey, Nadir," said a familiar voice. The black angel seriously did not want to deal with this right now. However the newcomer was somebody he knew and, try as he might, he didn't want to be impolite with him. Nadir turned to look at two nearly identical young man and woman, one in a red hat and coat and the other in a black hat and coat to protect them from the wind. Carrigan's smile faded when he saw the annoyance in Nadir's eyes, "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah. I can't find my ass of a brother," he responded bitterly. The two siblings' faces mirroring the same disapproving look on Nadir's language almost cracked a smile from the angel. Almost. It was bit too comical not to have a reaction. Yet the black angel's anxiety was more than enough to quell those feelings.

"Pit?" Corrin's face screwed up in thought before clearing with a simple smile. "Oh, he's at the pier-."

Without another word or even a goodbye, the black angel hurried to his newest destination, all the while cursing and hoping his brother wasn't going to do anything stupid.

Despite the weather's best attempts to scream at the black angel to leave his worthless brother alone, Nadir finally made his way to the pier. The harsh snow blinded a few spots for him. He swore again, this time at Pit's usual white clothes and wings. Thank the gods that his hair was actually brown and not this blasphemy monochrome that matched the stupid flakes around him. Nadir could just make out Pit's brunette head standing right at the edge of the pier a little out of the circle of light emitting from a dull bulb. Nobody else was around, allowing the black angel to rush to his brother without any interactions.

"Pit! What the Underworld are you doing here?" Nadir hissed. He quickly reached the lighter angel and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. Almost immediately, Pit swiped the hand away. Nadir's initial surprise was quickly replaced with anger. "What was that for?!"

"Leave me alone, Nadir," Pit's sorrowful voice sniffed. "I don't need any of your 'man advice'."

Nadir opened his mouth for a retort when he stopped himself. Perhaps he shouldn't use his usual statements and callous manner in this scenario. It was a delicate situation, and Nadir knew how stupidly unstable his brother could be in these emotional matters. His mind raced with what to say, picking out the words carefully:

"Listen, I'm sorry that things didn't work out with Lucina. But you can't mope around forever."

"Just watch me," came the stubborn answer.

Nadir inhaled deeply before exhaling in a futile attempt to calm himself. He tried again, "Pit, you're just going to have to deal with it. If Lucina didn't feel like the relationship was working out, then fine. You should respect her wishes and not cling onto her like a deprived Metroid. You have to move on with life."

Pit glared over his shoulder. Nadir met his gaze coolly. The white angel looked back out into the sea, though he paid no heed to the crashing waves and spraying waters. The younger brother waited for an answer. When none came irritation boiled in his chest again. Force was not the best answer in this situation, but at the moment Nadir simply couldn't think of anything else. He had to make Pit snap out of his depressing mood and go home with him. He grabbed Pit's wrist in an effort to pull him back. The expected resistance came, and the two were locked in their stubborn stances. Grunts of exertion filled the night as each refused to give way to the other. Pit finally ended when he gave one large yank, causing Nadir to almost fall forward and bump into him. The black angel fortunately caught his balance in time and scowled at his lost. The white angel chose not to notice and continued to look out into the darkness.

"Damnit, Pit! Why can't you just accept it like a man?! Things aren't going to change if you continue sulking around like this!"

At the declarations, Pit suddenly whirled around, red hot anger clear in his blue eyes. Nadir actually took a step back in shock. He had never seen his brother as angry as this before. Yet his own fury flared again to match his brother's, and the black angel stepped forward to face him. Pit didn't back down, his wings bristled to twice their size in indignation. "You don't understand! You don't understand what it's like to be dumped by your one true love! I loved her, Nadir! I loved her with all my heart! You can't see that nor could you understand it! You're just a conceited bastard! The cold, heartless bastard who gags each time he sees sometimes he thinks is sissy! The stupid, selfish bastard who cares about nobody but yourself!" Pit screamed. Though deep down he knew that Nadir was just trying to comfort him in his weird way, his broken heart couldn't take the insensitivity that Nadir was displaying. His rage and depression clouded his rationale.

And that did it. Nadir snapped. There was no way he could take Pit's stupidity anymore nor could he keep quiet about his true views. He kept them bottled up for too long. He stomped forward, jabbing a finger in Pit's chest, his anger exceeding Pit's own moments earlier. "Cold bastard, huh? Heartless bastard, HUH? Stupid BASTARD, HUH?!" With every word, Nadir's wings seemed to spike furiously. "Would a selfish bastard like me give up the girl of his dreams so that his own brother could date her?! Would a selfish bastard like me hide his feelings so that his own brother would be happy with her?! Would a selfish bastard like me help his stupid-ass brother so that his own brother could stay with her all his life?! HUH?! WOULD A SELFISH BASTARD DO ALL THOSE FUCKING SELFISH THINGS?!" Nadir inhaled deeply to replace the lost oxygen from his eruption. Even when he was done, he continued to glare at Pit, whose expression now held utter shock at the black angel's confession. Every fiber of Nadir's body shivered in absolute anger at being accused and misunderstood while Pit's body froze from the unexpected shouts.

"Y-You…you liked Lucina too?" Pit finally found the words slipping from his mouth.

Nadir shook his head furiously, "Not liked. Loved. Of course, you were too busy being happy with her to see that. And seeing you so happy like that…" the younger brother turned away, not allowing his sibling see the tears prickling the edge of his eyes. His wings, no longer puffed with fury, drooped down. "I couldn't bring myself to let you know the truth…" The confession crushed Nadir's heart. After putting up a strong front for so long and suppressing his true feelings, it was a bizarre sensation for the younger brother to unexpectedly admit the thing he wanted to say for so long. A panicked feeling arose in his chest when he realized that some of the snow that fell on his face strangely tasted like salt. Without warning, the black angel suddenly sped off, startling the lighter angel. Pit futilely held out his hand, shouting the necessary word too late. The swirling snow already swallowed up the black angel. His younger brother was gone from his sights.

Pit wasn't sure how long he stayed like that. It was only until the light from the single lamp died with a weak flash did he lower his arm. His mind raced with the turmoil of so many emotions at once. Surprise, sorrow, regret, agony all plagued his unstable heart. Surprise at Nadir's declaration, sorrow for his brother, regret at his mistakes, and agony from the weight. The lighter angel had no idea what to do now. He felt that it was wrong for him to chase after Nadir, knowing that it was better for his younger brother to be alone despite his wishes to be with him. Pit wasn't even sure if he could face his brother. He remembered all those times when he spent time with Lucina with Nadir being exposed to it. The guilt devoured the other emotions and filled Pit's mind. Though he didn't mean it, he had subjected his brother to one of the worse forms of torture. It was like Pit rubbed the fact that he got Nadir's potential girlfriend in Nadir's face all the time, despite how he never realized it. The white angel could only imagine how difficult it was for the black angel to mask his feelings day after day when he was so close, so close to possibly a happy life with the girl he loved so dearly. The temptation to run after Nadir returned.

In the end though, he turned back to the serene black void that continued to move without interference as some of the snow joined it while others disappeared on Pit's shivering body. The creeping devil of suicide knocked in the back of his mind. Pit was drawn, so tempted, to jump right then and there and let the delicious sea swallow him up. He was just about to say a prayer and apology when he stopped. If Pit committed suicide now, how would Nadir react? He would think that it was all his fault, and the anguish of losing another loved one would increase tenfold for him. Pit didn't want to put his younger brother through that again. He just couldn't, not after all they've been through together.

The white angel finally opted to sit on the pier, one leg over the edge, the other close to his chest. The snow failed to comfort him in its gentle way as Pit hoped that his selfish words didn't drive Nadir away. He already lost Lucina, the tears prickled his eyes when he had the thought. They finally broke free and slid down his cheeks when the thought of losing Nadir plagued his mind. No, Pit didn't want to lose Nadir as well. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened…Pit covered his face with his hands, too drowned in his sorrows to hear familiar footsteps returning.

 _Budding:_

"Breathe slowly as you keep this pose," Willa smiled as she watched her students perform the yoga poises almost as flawlessly as her. "Great! Keep it up!" A few leaned to their sides in an effort to regain their briefly-lost balance, but they were still doing quite well for the most part. Her mouth twitched in slight amusement when one student in particular leaned forward a bit more than usual, "Keep your balance, Link." The young man flashed her an uncertain smile before catching his balance again, this time managing to stay on his one leg. Other than that, the rest of the students did well.

The clock soon chimed the end of class as it did every day, granting the students permission to dismiss their poses. Willa relaxed herself, rubbing her muscles just above her prosthetic legs. She made a mental note to not push herself so hard. Her students began to clean up their mats, chatting to each other quietly. Willa herself rolled her own mat. She grabbed her water bottle to drink, making sure to keep an eye on her students. Some of them had already departed, the day still having them busy with other matters. The yoga trainer watched with interest as another of her student, Pit, absently picked up his own mat and began to walk out of the door quietly. He wasn't his usual cheerful self, and his troubled expression showed even more when a dark mirror image of him waited just outside the door. The two didn't interact whatsoever as Pit followed his younger twin in silence. Though she wished she could help, Willa told herself that unless he told her about his worries, then she shouldn't be involved. After all she was their yoga teacher. Nothing more, nothing less.

When most of the students had gone, Willa packed her things in preparation to go home. She walked out and locked the gym behind her. She then tucked the key safely in her pocket, reminding herself that she had to arrive bright and early the next day to pass on the key to the owner of the gym. Satisfied that nobody would be able to enter the building, Willa started the familiar route home albeit faster than normal as she realized how late it was getting. Even the simple spring breeze seemed to urge her on. She wanted to arrive in time for an early supper before getting to her next job. Fortunately for the yoga trainer the streets were not as crowded as they used to be. She finally arrived at the gates that led to her apartment. Making her exhausted way up flights of stairs, Willa turned the key into her lock and opened the creaking door.

A dim light greeted her. Once she went inside she immediately heard the shrieks of a hot pot and the rolls of a squeaky wheelchair. After closing the door to keep out the draft of a late winter wind, Willa placed her bag on the wooden floor so that she could take off her shoes. She was conscious that the squeaking was getting louder. When the trainer looked up again, her smile was mirrored by a male reflection.

"Hey, Sis. Welcome home," William grinned. Willa's smile brightened at the simple appearance of her younger brother. She didn't know why. For some reason, her brother just had this cheerful aura around him that caused others to instantly perk up. As she straightened up to stretch, William reversed his wheelchair to go back the way he came from. "I made some soup today."

"Sounds delicious," Willa said sincerely. She stepped into the dining room, the wooden boards groaning beneath her. She ignored the familiar sound in favor of the delicious aromas wafting from the pot. Willa reached the small kitchen, her feet oblivious to the cracks in the tiles. Her brother struggled to scoop the meal into a bowl when he looked over his shoulder to shake his head quickly at her.

"Willa, you should be resting. Let me handle this."

"But you've been working all day at home. The least I could do is help," Willa argued. She moved to take the bowl away from him, but he stubbornly shifted it behind his wheelchair.

"You've been working harder than me. Besides, the doctor said it's dangerous if you don't rest every now and then. I can see how painful it could be to wear those all day," William gestured pointedly to where his sister's stubs connected to machinery. Willa couldn't resist the temptation to look at them on William's urging. She was about to protest that she was all right when a lance of pain shot through her left leg. The yoga trainer's face must have contorted in agony as her brother immediately wheeled his chair over. "See? Come on. Just sit down and rest. I'll handle supper."

Hearing her brother's unrelenting tone caused Willa to sigh. This argument she had to concede to him. Holding in her groans of pain as best she could, the pale woman shuffled to where the table waited with two chairs. She slumped into the seat, sighing when she relieved the pressure on her legs. Willa then unlocked the mechanism that bonded the prosthetics to her thighs and yanked them away. She leaned them against the table's legs before turning inward. Head resting in her hand, she looked into the kitchen with regret as William managed to finish scooping his sister's portion before getting his. She didn't realize how exhausted she was until her muscles finally relaxed. There was something comforting in the aching pain of too much exercise though and she breathed deeply.

Willa flinched when she heard a surprised shout. Horror all over her face, she looked towards the kitchen. Her brother held his hand to his chest, the burn and soup clear on it. An overturned bowl of soup streamed across the cracked tiles like so many rivers. The young woman started to move towards William in an effort to help him. Yet she looked down uncertainly and regretfully at her missing legs. She looked back, "Will, are you all right?"

William waved a hand in reassurance. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Ignoring the sting on his hand, he reached for another bowl. Willa could only look on as William attempted to serve his portion again. She sighed in relief when no more accidents happened. Her younger brother began to navigate towards their dining table with the bowls balanced on a tray on his legs. Once he arrived, the young man placed the tray on the table. "Here you go, Willa," he said cheerfully before wheeling to his spot at the table. She resisted the urge to ask her brother if he was alright, the optimism in his voice fabricated. Instead she smiled her thanks and grabbed her bowl. Her eyes briefly caught the signs of health from the vegetables and rice in the soup as she dug in. Their voices lowered to slurping of their soups, one faster than the other.

William watched his sister eat her supper rapidly, feeling a twinge of remorse in his chest. His eyes looked at his own bowl. Initially he was starving. Yet, now that he sat at the table with his meal in front of him, he couldn't help but lose his appetite. His mind was too occupied with thoughts that continued to plague him the past years. He stared at his soup, sipped another spoon, and stared again.

"William…" the young man started slightly at his name. It sounded oddly loud in the silence of their apartment. Oddly loud…and foreign. He looked up to meet his sister's worried eyes. "Are you all right?"

He was about to protest. He wanted to reassure her that everything was just fine, that she didn't need to worry about him as is. Yet he could not find those words. William looked back at his soup. His hand fell limp, almost dropping his spoon.

"I must be such a burden to you, Willa," his tone filled with regret and shame.

"What?" the older sibling's surprised tone made it obvious that she wasn't expecting this at all. "Will, you're not a burden to me."

"Yes, I am," he said bitterly. "You're working so hard in three other jobs along with your yoga classes just to raise money for my operation. You're barely sleeping because of your shifts. You get home so exhausted every day yet you continue to arrive on time for each of your jobs. But I'm here just sitting on my hands not able to do anything. Even when you get home, I can barely make you a decent meal let alone serve it for you! I can't do anything to help you! I'm so worthless!"

"William, that's not true!"

"But it is!" the younger man buried his face in his hands, the trembling in his shoulders becoming more obvious. "If I've never volunteered for the army, then I wouldn't be paralyzed like this! We wouldn't been living in such squalor! You wouldn't be suffering like this!" Willa recognized the shattering of his voice and the sobbing that followed. She instinctively shifted to move to her brother's side but realized belatedly again how she had already detached her prosthetic legs. Her muscles were still sore from walking all day. However the young woman set her mouth in determined lines as she reached for her legs. She quickly reattached them, ignoring the pain that shot through her appendages. Willa walked to her brother's side and placed her hands on his shaking shoulders. There was no response as the earlier sounds of slurping were quickly replaced with William's sobs. The yoga trainer then pulled her brother close to her in an embrace. He only continued to sob as he returned her hug.

Willa patted his head reassuringly, cooing soothing words, "William, it's all right. I'm proud that you chose to serve our country. And I chose this. I'm doing this so you can walk again."

"I don't care if I can walk again," came his muffled voice. "I don't want to see you suffering like this."

"I'm not suffering," she said quietly. "And you're not worthless. You're the reason why I'm able to pull through every day. You're the reason why I can continue living like this, William. So stop thinking that you're worthless…because you mean the whole world to me…"

Willa continued to pat his head as his sobs got louder. She cooed her soothing words to him in hopes of calming him down. Yet her heart cracked as she heard her brother repeat that remorseful phrase over and over.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Willa…I'm so sorry…"

"Shh…it's all right, Will…you're not worthless…you're not worthless at all…"

 _Warmth:_

The bus rolled to a stop, waking up the albino woman. She couldn't stop a yawn from escaping her mouth and covered her mouth politely. Though Roseclere wanted to stretch, she felt a heavy presence on her shoulder. Looking over she saw her little brother still sleeping soundly. She felt a small smile cross her face. Though the joy was clear on her face, should one examine closely, a bit of sorrow mixed in with the happiness found in her expression. Despite her enjoyment of seeing Robin so vulnerable like this, she had to wake him up. The older sibling gently shook the younger, whispering, "Hey, wake up, sleepyhead ."

Roseclere felt Robin flinch a bit before his head left her shoulder. He groggily looked around, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. His brown eyes, so like her own, finally locked onto his sister.

"We're here?" he muttered. The older sibling nodded as she looked outside again to make sure. Their private beach house was just outside, towering above the sands. The swaying palm trees offering shade told Roseclere that despite the harsh sun an ocean breeze would keep them cool. She stood up to step away from the seat.

"Let's go," she smiled, grabbing their luggage from above. Robin groaned from stretching his tired muscles before he followed suit. The two siblings lounged their baggage towards the entrance of the bus. Roseclere quickly paid the driver, giving him a bit extra for going the extra mile. He waved his goodbyes to his passengers. The two siblings set foot on the asphalt that led to the beach. They watched as the driver pulled his vehicle away. They then faced their residency for the next few months.

"It's been so long since we've been here," Robin commented, a hand on his chest as he inhaled deeply, exhaling breath out slowly. Roseclere nodded in brief agreement. Though that statement brought up unpleasant memories, she had to acknowledge that point as it brought up contrastingly happy memories as well. She remembered how her father used to take her, her brother, and her mother there. They would spend almost all summer in that house and on this beach. Those happy thoughts forced her to smile at the joy that came with them. Roseclere grabbed hold of the heavier bags, earning a protest from her brother. "Roseclere! I'll take those!"

The albino woman shook her head sharply, glaring at her brother to make him back off. He actually flinched from the intensity of her glare. At the flinch, her expression softened. She forgot sometimes that instead of a normal stare, she gave other people her "CEO" glare. "It's all right, Robin. If you want to show off your strength so much," a teasing smile crossed her face, "you can just go ahead and grab that suitcase."

Robin frowned at that but nevertheless grabbed hold of the black suitcase. He didn't lift it though, and his sister was satisfied to see him wheeling it behind. Roseclere could only laugh as she started towards the house with her brother in tow. It took them a few seconds to reach the door and climb the porch steps. Robin leaned against one of the supporting poles to catch his breath as his sister unlocked the door. They stepped in without hesitation, taking in the sweet scent of the house. It really has been a long time since she last stepped foot in this house, Roseclere realized with a twinge of regret. The man that used to take them was so different back then, and the woman that ensured their enjoyment was long gone. It was now only the two children that shrieked loudly as they ran along the beach, only grown up and more experienced.

Snapping out of her reminiscences, Roseclere moved sit down in one of the couches, sighing in relief at the chance to finally relax after such a long bus ride. Though the bus seats were truthfully comfortable, the bumpiness of the road made it difficult to relax. She would have taken a plane, but her brother had refused. Robin plopped into another chair with a large grin.

"I forgot how comfortable this chair was," he shifted his body to get into various position for the maximum comfort. Roseclere smiled.

"Father never liked it when we jumped on these…" she mused. At her unconscious mentioning of their father, Roseclere's expression darkened. She quickly looked away but it was too late. Her brother already saw it.

An uncertain look crossed Robin's face as he finally settled down. He looked at the clean carpet that covered most of the room before looking up. "Say…about Father…"

"What about him?" came the harsh voice that always appeared whenever they talked about the man.

Robin squirmed at his sister's cold manner. Yet he mustered up the courage to ask, "How…how is he?"

 _He has no idea…_

"Being in jail? Rotten as ever," Roseclere narrowed her eyes at the recollection of her last visit with how their father had shouted abuses at her from behind the bars of his jail cell. The young woman decided then and there to cut all possible ties from that man. Before this had even happened, she forbid Robin from coming even one hundred meters within the prison that held their father, fired many of her father's old advisors that corrupted him so, and renamed their company to symbolize a new era. Since then Naga Corps, formerly known as Grima Industries, had been very successful despite its initial troubles of regaining its allies' trust. Every now and then she would visit her father but those visits escalated to vicious fights that left the air as frozen as the South Pole even after she left the place. The latest visit would put a stop to that, much to the relief of the guards of the prison. Her glower cleared when she realized how uncomfortable her brother was. She gave a forced laugh. "Sorry, Robin, but we shouldn't be talking about that man. Let's get our stuff to our rooms and head to the beach."

Though his eyes still showed his uncertainty, Robin smiled and nodded in agreement. Grabbing one particular bag, he raced to his room. "Last one is a rotten dragon egg!"

"Don't tire yourself out!" Roseclere called after her brother. He waved a hand in acknowledgement, but she still frowned at how he placed the hand over his chest once again. A painful stab went through her own chest as that little voice started taunting her again. She quickly hushed it, yet it kept coming back. It whispered the most horrid things, things that Roseclere wished won't come true. Shaking her head to clear it, the young CEO grabbed her own bag to change. As she stepped inside she couldn't resist but stop and stare at her old room. Almost everything was still in its place, the servants knowing better than to move anything when they cleaned the house. She brushed her hand along the clean bedspread and examined the wooden wardrobe. A large window allowed her to see part of the beach she would spending most of her summer on. The foamy waves crashed on the sandy shores to drag a few treasures back into the sea. The sun beamed proudly on the private beach, showing how nobody dared to walk on it. Roseclere stared for a brief moment longer before turning to her bag. She couldn't keep her only family member waiting.

As she unpacked her things, she started slightly at the sight of some loose papers filled with data. Clutching them as if her life depended on it, Roseclere looked towards her nightstand, her hand reaching out before she even noticed. She drew open the drawer and shoved the papers inside. The disappearance of those seemed to have calmed down the eldest sibling as she released a sigh of obvious relief. She promised herself she wouldn't think about that, no matter how much it hurt her. With the nightmare gone for the brief moment Roseclere looked towards her bag again for her swimsuit.

When she emerged from her room in a loose shirt covering her swimsuit, Roseclere saw Robin sitting in the same chair as before. He stood up with a grin as she drew close. "Looks like I win."

"I wasn't aware that the race was changing into our swimming gear," Roseclere hid a smile. Robin shrugged.

"I'll admit, I have an advantage in that race…" he laughed. It was his sister's turn to shrug as she grabbed hold of her beach bag. Seeing how she didn't reply, Robin only grinned and followed his sister out the door.

They spent the rest of the day enjoying the beach. Though it was only them on that private strip of sandy land and a stark difference to when they used to go as a family, the two siblings were satisfied with each other's company. If it was possible, it brought them even closer together. Robin and Roseclere splashed in the waters, getting the other wet and shrieking with laughter. When the younger of the two siblings started to tire despite the breaks they took in between, they turned their attention to a sandcastle building contest. Things got out of hand once again when Roseclere launched a sand bomb at Robin's castle, creating an all-out war between the two. The ringing of laughter mixed with ocean waves as the day dragged on. Their final activity together on that beach was watching the sun set. Once the winking star disappeared from view, Roseclere stood up and stretched her arms over her head, shivering slightly at the first breeze of the cold night. She led the way back to the house, with Robin at her heels. Since Roseclere allowed the normal servants to take the season off for she and her brother to have quality time, they had to cook their own dinner. The two siblings didn't mind as it simply gave them another excuse to spend more time with one another. They made a simple meal that thrived on past, happy memories. Though Roseclere didn't want to recall any of it, she made an effort to hide her true feelings from her brother as she reminisced about the past with him at the table.

Once they finished their spaghetti, the two siblings curled up next to each other on the chairs overlooking the patio. Roseclere had her arm around her brother protectively while Robin folded his hands to rest on his full stomach. For a while, they watched the soothing waves in silence, the water constantly crashing onto the shores in a futile attempt to hold on before receding back into the sea to try once more. The younger sibling glanced up at the sky. His dark eyes twinkled in delight with the stars above.

"Hey, Roseclere," mischief laced his voice as he turned his gaze to his sister, "How's Cloud?"

 _He has no idea…_

Roseclere frowned at the subject, yet she couldn't keep the blush from spreading on her face. "He's just fine. Why do you ask?"

Her brother shrugged indifferently, yet the teasing tone was still in his voice, "I don't know…last time I saw, you two were getting quite comfortable with each other."

"He's a business partner. Nothing more, nothing less," came Roseclere's sharp answer. Robin could only smile smugly at that. There weren't many times when he could get his sister to lose her uncanny cool. However for the sake of today he decided to drop the subject.

"How's yoga class?" came Roseclere's sudden question. Robin chuckled at that.

"Oh, it's quite fun. Willa's a great teacher, and she helps us a lot. Some of us still can't get most of the positions right, but Willa's really patient about it. Oh, and sometimes her brother comes in too. He likes to watch, I guess…"

"Do you feel better learning yoga?"

"Haha. I think that's what it's for, right? To make your body healthier?"

"Yes…" came Roseclere's hesitant voice.

"Maybe you should take them with me," Robin smiled.

He felt Roseclere's body shudder with laughter. "You know I have other things to do, Robin. But I might take up that offer in the future."

"I think you should. It really does help you relax, and you definitely could use some relaxation."

"I'll consider it."

Their conversation got Robin thinking about how fortunate he was to spend time with his sister right now. She could be quite busy minding the family company, sometimes working days on end with only coffee to fuel her. He truly admired her for her determination and dedication to the family business. At times it seemed like she was simply too busy for any relaxation or fun, so he was a bit surprised when she decided to take a family vacation with him in the middle of the busy time of the year. Still, Robin wasn't complaining. Though they were equal partners in the business, it was obvious that most of the company should belong to Roseclere as she was the one who got it running again. Robin didn't mind that at all. He felt that she fitted CEO more than him and was quite content to work underneath her. Ever since their father was jailed, he felt closer to his sister more than ever.

"Sis?"

"Yeah, Robin?"

"I'm…really glad I was able to spend time with you today," Robin smiled. "I hope we can do it again tomorrow."

 _He has no idea…_

Seeing him smile like that…it broke Roseclere's heart. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah…we can do the same thing tomorrow. We can do it for the whole vacation if you want to." Her heart nearly stopped when she saw her brother's smile turn into a wide yawn. He smacked his lips a couple of times, his eyes drooping close. Roseclere shifted a bit, rousing Robin from his drowsiness. "Hey, don't fall asleep yet," the sister gave a lop-sided grin.

Robin looked at his sister blearily. He frowned in confusion. For some reason, he thought that her voice sounded different as it seemed to have caught something, making her sound more sorrowful than usual. Yet he didn't question it. He nodded obediently, his eyes snapping open. His head leaned against his sister's shoulder, prompting her to wrap both arms around him. They sat quietly in the silence, enjoying each other's presence. Robin stared up at the blue night sky while his sister scrutinized him. With so many stars twinkling, it made him remember an old legend that his parents always told him when he was younger. He broke the serene silence.

"Sis? Do you think Mom's up there?" Robin asked quietly. He noticed how Roseclere seemed to stiffen before tightening her hold around her brother. He looked at her curiously. The woman swallowed as she exhaled deeply. In turn she looked up at the sky, as if seeking out one star in particular.

 _He has no idea…_

"…Yeah…I'm sure Mom's up there, watching over us now," the sister responded. Robin continued to stare at her. He couldn't help another yawn from escaping. He just felt extremely sleepy right now as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He snuggled closer to his sister similarly to how he always did whenever he had a nightmare. The young man could hear his sister's heart beating, a sound he always took comfort from. It reminded him that she was still alive, that he still had somebody in his family. Though he didn't want to think about it, Robin couldn't stop the thought of losing Roseclere from rising into his mind. He had already lost his mother and father. The very idea of losing his loving sister was almost too much.

"Sis?"

"Yeah, Robin?"

"You won't leave me, right? We'll always be together?"

 _He has no idea…_ Roseclere caught the pleading tone in her younger brother's voice. Was it possible for her heart to shatter even more? She wanted to scream it to stop. She wanted to yell at the world for doing this to her. She wanted to shout about the unfairness of everything. Yet Roseclere kept it in. She drew a shuddering breath before nodding to his question.

"Of course we'll be together. I'll never leave you alone, Robin."

Those words brought that familiar smile to Robin's face. It soothed him, and the beating of Roseclere's heart formed a lullaby for him. Though he tried his best, he was fighting a losing battle against his eyes. They threatened to close any minute, but Robin wanted to ask one more thing from his sister. One more thing before he fell asleep peacefully in his sister's arms.

"Promise?" the word was almost inaudible. His sister couldn't answer back at that moment. She was too busy keeping something in. Robin's chest rose and fell slowly as he finally closed his eyes.

The sob that Roseclere tried so hard to hold in finally broke from her lips as she tightened her embrace around her cold brother, the tears falling onto his deathly pale cheeks. "I promise, Robin…"

* * *

 **Are you sure this is a one-shot? ...Of course I'm sure! It's a freakin' one-shot, man! With four different portions! Get with the program! Anyways, I might as well have made this into a multi-chaptered story, but I didn't want to deal with the mindset of a multi-chaptered story. So I just stuck everything together. Whoop-dee-freakin'-do.**

 **The beginning line is an actual Vietnamese proverb that I gladly found. Originally for _Harvest_ , I was going to use Mario and Luigi. But then the Special Broadcast happened (HYPE, HYPE!) and I wanted to use the Corrins. So I asked the great host if I could use them, and she said yes. So, thanks again for that, Writer of Worlds! :D I really did wondered what I should have Corrin and Carrigan deal with...but I said "damn it all" and just wrote that. I got pissed after a while. ****_Frost_ has the same premise as my other story, _How the Mask Breaks._ Some of you guys may have realized that. Kudos to you guys for reading my other works XD And kudos for the guys who saw the invisible chains that linked these four short stories together.**

 **Characters I used/mentioned: M!Corrin, F!Corrin, Dark Pit, Pit, Lucina, F!WiiFitTrainer, Link, M!WiiFitTrainer, F!Robin, M!Robin, Cloud**

 **Thank you guys for reading this! And thank you, Writer of Worlds, for this contest! As a last parting, please, I would love to know...which of these short stories shattered your heart the most? I would greatly appreciate it if you guys include your answer in your reviews, should you review (please review!). For my competitors reading this, good luck! May the best writer win!**


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